Help is now available for smokers inspired to quit by the state's new smoke-free law.

On election day, North Dakotans overwhelmingly voted to pass an initiated measure that will make all North Dakota workplaces smoke free, including bars, motels, truck stops and retail tobacco shops. With the new law going into effect on December 6, the NDQuits Program wants to extend their free services to North Dakotans to help them quit smoking and other tobacco use.

"Congratulations to the citizens of North Dakota! We just became a healthier state," said Michelle Walker, director of the North Dakota Department of Health's Tobacco Prevention and Control Program. "The North Dakota Department of Health is pleased to welcome the new comprehensive smoke-free law to North Dakota and we are ready to help people who are now inspired to quit tobacco. NDQuits is a program of the Department of Health that offers free help with quitting."

NDQuits offers confidential counseling and advice through telephone, online and mobile services. Counselors assess the quitter's readiness to quit tobacco use and help them develop a plan, which includes setting a quit date, learning how to identify triggers and learning how to deal with withdrawal symptoms and cravings.

Qualified NDQuits enrollees can get a free, two-month supply of nicotine patches, gum or lozenges to help them quit. Enrollees also have access to the following:

•The ability to chat with other quitters online

•24/7/365 online encouragement and support

•Access to recorded telephone messages about topics such as dealing with withdrawal symptoms and managing triggers

•Online calculators that figure out how many days a person has extended his or her life or how much money has been saved

•QuitTips e-mail messages

"Due to the new smoke-free law, some people may try to replace smoking at work with other tobacco products, such as chewing tobacco," said Walker. "We want to remind people that chewing tobacco and other smokeless forms of tobacco are not a safe alternative to smoking. In addition to its highly addictive nature, there are many health risks that go along with chewing tobacco, including gum disease, tooth loss or decay and putting a user at higher risk for oral, throat, stomach and pancreatic cancer."

For help with quitting smoking or tobacco, visit NDQuits at www.ndhealth.gov.ndquits or call 1.800.QUIT.NOW (1.800.784.8669).